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W. P. RUDOLPH. ELECTRIC IGNITER FOR. GAS LIGHTING. No. 560,370. PatentedMay 19, 1896.

0 a f 1m M.

' U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM F. RUDOLPH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO \VILLIAME. BARROWVS, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC IGNITER FOR GAS-LIGHTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,370, dated May 19,1896. Application filed November 29, 1895. $eria11l'o..570,86l. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. RUDOLPH, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Electric Igniters for Gas-Lighting,of which the following is aspecification.

My invention has relation to an electric igro niter for gas-lamps ofthat class wherein one of the electrodes is fixed in juxtaposition to agas-burner, while the other is adapted to be oscillated back and forthand carries a spring-armimpinging upon the fixed elec- 15 trode andadapted to make and break circuit with the same; and it relatesparticularly to the construction and arrangement of such an igniter andto mechanism for actuating the movable electrode.

The principal objects of my invention are, first,to provide asimple,durab1e,and efficient igniter for electrically lightinggas-lamps; second, to provide in suchan igniter a fixed electrode, and amovable electrode pivoted to and oscillating in a fixed bracket securedto the burner,said movable electrode being provided with aspring-contact adapted to engage a hooked extension of the fixedelectrode when the movable electrode is oscillated in one di- 0 rectionand to slide over the same when moved in the opposite direction, saidmovable electrode being in flexible engagement with the stop-cock andadapted to be oscillated by the same when the gas is turned on and off,and, 3 5 third, to provide in such an igniter a burner,

a petcock or auxiliary burner-,a stop-cock controlling both burners,afixed electrode located adjacent to the petcock-burner, an oscillatingelectrode in flexible connection with the stopcock and adapted to beactuated thereby, and a spring-arm carried by the oscillating electrodeand adapted to engage the fixed electrode to make and break contacttherewith.

My invention consists of an electric igniter 5 for gas -lampsconstructed, arranged, and adapted to be operated in substantially themanner hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature, characteristic features, and scope of my invention will bemore fully understood from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in which Figure1 is a front elevational view 'of a lamp and igniter, showing in fulland dotted lines the different positions of the oscillating 5 5electrode and of the means for actuating said electrode. Fig. 2 is aside elevational view of Fig. 1, and Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views inbroken sections of the upper portions of the framework of the lamp.

Referring to the drawings, (t represents the burner of agas-lamp, which,as illustrated, is preferably of the form or type known as a WVelsbachlamp and provided with an auxiliary burner a and known as apetcockburner. The fixed electrode 6 is secured to the frame a of thelamp and projects upward alongside, preferably, of the auxiliary burnerto. The electrode 1) is insulated, as at Z), from said frame 0. Theupper end b of the electrode 1) is hook-shaped, as indicated in Fig. 1.The movable electrode d is pivoted, as at d, in a bracket (1 dependingfrom the frame a of the burner. Around the upper end of the electrodedis coiled a spring 6, one end of which is secured to theelectrode,while the other end extends inward toward the electrode b inthe form of a horizontal arm 6. At the lower end of the electrode at isformed a box f, into which fits a ball-shaped projection 9 of thestop-cock h, controlling both burners a and a. The stop-cock hispreferably operated through the two arms h, to each of which is attacheda cord or chain ]L2. The current is by the wire '70 to the bindingpost70 of the fixed electrode b, the return being through the movableelectrode d, stopcock h, and pipe 2', to ground.

In operation when the stop-cock h is turned to the right to let on thegas to the pipe 11 of the burner the ball projection g impinges againstthe right-hand side of the box f, thus oscillating the upper end of theelectrode (Z toward the left, during which movement the spring-arm eimpinges upon and is gradually withdrawn from the hook-shaped end b ofthe fixed electrode 1). This withdrawal is against the tension of thespring-arm e, which flies forward away from the electrode (1 and overthe burner a, thus creating a spark Ioo which ignites the gas issuingfrom the burner a. \Vhen the cook 71) is turned to the left to shut offthe gas from the burner, the ball projection g impinges upon theleft-hand side of the box f, thus oscillating the electrode d toward theright, during which movement the spring-arm c slides yieldingly over theback of the hook-shaped end b It is obvious that the fixed electrode bmay project alongside and over the main burner a instead of, as shown inthe drawings, along side and over the petcock or auxiliary burner a. Insuch case the oscillating electrode must be made proportionately longerand should be pivoted higher up on the frame a of the lamp.

Having thus described thenature and objects of my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An electric igniter for gas-lighting, consisting of a fixed electrodein juxtaposition to the burner, a movable electrode having anoscillatory movement and provided with an arm adapted to make and breakcontact with the fixed electrode, a box connected with said movableelectrode, and a stop-cock in flexible engagement with said box andadapted when actuated to oscillate said movable electrode, substantiallyas described.

2. An electric ign'iter for gas-lightin g, consisting of a fixedelectrode in juxtaposition to the burner, a movable electrode pivoted intact with said fixed electrode, a box carried at the lower portion ofsaid movable electrode, and means for oscillating said movableelectrode, whereby when said movable electrode is oscillated in onedirection its spring-arm is caught under and gradually withdrawn fromthe hook of the fixed electrode and when moved in the opposite directionthe spring arm slides over the hook of said fixed electrode,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM ll. RUDOLPH.

'Witnesses:

J. WALTER DOUGLASS, THOMAS M. SMITH.

